Black and Red
by Transformersfan123
Summary: Another Halloween with no help from the other Holiday leaders. Wounded at their avoidance of him, despite all he has done to help them with their Holidays, Jack takes a potion of black and red to get away from everything. The days turn to weeks and the weeks to months, and now the other leaders have to find Jack and make things right, or Halloween won't happen this year.
1. Potion

Here's a little Jack Skellington fic. This plot has been developed over several years. I finally decided to write it down. Enjoy!

* * *

Jack watched miserably as the Mayor gave his speech, though he kept a smile on his face. The Holiday leaders were nowhere to be seen. He had helped Sam on Independence Day again. He was getting good at it, too. He was actually getting good at everything: building fireworks, painting eggs, making love arrows, etcetera. But there was a problem. No matter how much he helped with the other Holidays, the leaders never came to help him with Halloween. It caused a hole in his very soul.

Jack knew he was viewed differently than the others. They didn't act the same around him. They didn't talk to him the same way. It really hurt, but Jack kept smiling, hoping they would notice him. After the last Fourth of July, the realization hit him that he didn't belong with them. They were all flesh, and he was all bone.

The Pumpkin King stood and made his speech then slipped away as the awards were being handed out. He walked up to his house and closed the door behind him. Pain tore at him. Thanksgiving was coming up next. Squanto would need help. Tears stung the deep set holes in his skull and he let them fall. He went up to bed and stripped off, putting his nightgown on. He yawned and lay down, tears still staining his bone cheeks.

He tossed and turned for three hours with nightmares, and not the pleasant kind. He eventually stood up and walked to his closet. He pressed a secret panel in the wall to reveal a few rows of potion. Each type of potion was held in a differently shaped vial. He picked up one of the ones that was black and red swirled. It was a very special potion that Dr. Finkelstein had made, and it was only given to Jack. The good doctor had tried it only once, and had stated that it wasn't for him, but he would make it for Jack if he ever wanted to use it.

Jack stripped naked and took a deep breath. He needed to get away. He needed peace and the freedom that came with the potion's effects. He tilted his head back as he down the potion then immediately looked in the mirror. He loved watching the changes. Red began to curl around his bones, fleshing out into muscles. Blue streaks went through them for blood vessels. While the muscles were still building, organs ballooned out and settled in their places. Once the rest of his body was in place, pale skin curled around it. He shuddered and let out a breath as the changes finished.

He stared at the naked human reflected back at him. He was still tall in a very creepy way. He couldn't help that, but the humans would accept him better with skin on. His eyes stopped on his groin. It was strange to see it. Not that he didn't have one in his skeletal form—after all he was a bone _man_ , not just a skeleton—but it looked different. He sighed and picked out clothes from the back of his closet, slipping them on. It was black pair of trousers and a white shirt. Simple, but it was accepted pretty much anywhere.

He opened the elevator panel that was there for the doctor and went down to the very bottom. He would leave for a while to clear his head and sort through his emotions. That's what he needed. He paused before he went through the grave to the human world. Sally would miss him…But he hadn't been a very good friend lately. He knew she was waiting for him to propose, but he didn't feel right about doing it. He sighed. He couldn't deal with that. Not now. So he turned and slipped through the grave.


	2. Help Us

Here's chapter two. The number of reviews I get really help. I got five, and that was really encouraging for this fic. With some fics, like my Bioshock/Twilight one, you don't expect even one. I didn't know what to expect. I am pleasantly surprised. Therefore, enjoy! You have earned it!

* * *

The days turned to weeks and the weeks to months, yet still no Jack. The Mayor panicked from the very beginning, like usual. The others stayed calmer, but after a month, nobody was calm anymore. They searched everywhere for him. Finally there were only a few places in their magical worlds to look, and none of them had ever been there. Sally finally went, keeping the information from the doctor. She went to the only place where she knew the Holiday leader.

"Sally, dear! Good to see you," Sandy said happily.

"Hello, Mr. Claws," she said quietly.

He offered her food and drink, unsure if she could consume them. She could, but she refused. She sat down in a chair and kept her eyes on the floor.

Sandy sat down across from her and broached the topic. "How's Jack?"

"We don't know. He's missing."

"Again? Well he's not taking over anybody's Holiday. They would have come to me."

Sally looked up at him and began to cry. He was alarmed.

"You were our last hope!" she sobbed as Sandy hurried over to comfort her.

"How long has he been gone?"

"Almost five months!"

Panic exploded across Sandy's face. "I'll be right back."

An hour later, the rest of the Holiday leaders stood there in the main room. They were staring at Sally, never having seen her before.

"Do you belong in Halloween Town, dear?" Eros asked curiously.

Sally looked at them with a frightened expression, staying silent.

"She's courting Jack, but they're not engaged yet," Sandy said.

"Oh! So _you're_ Sally!" Sam exclaimed. "You're very pretty."

"Don't be offended, dearie, but what are ya?" Patrick asked.

When Sandy nodded at her in reassurance, she spoke. "I'm a ragdoll. Dr. Finkelstein made me."

"I'll never understand Halloween Town," Bunny said with a shake of his head. "Nothing seems to make sense. It seems to be one continuous horror movie."

"Well, Halloween _is_ a scary Holiday," Squanto said with a nod. "Can't be helped, really."

Sally listened, frowning. "Why do you never talk about it with Jack?"

They all looked at her. Her fear was gone, replaced by irritation.

"What do you mean?" Patrick asked, his Irish accent thick.

"He asks you all about your Holidays. He probably knows more about them than you do, but none of you ever ask about Halloween. He's expressed to me several times that he thinks it's rather rude and inconsiderate of you. He also seemed somewhat hurt at your lack of interest."

They looked uncomfortable.

"He's just so scary looking," Eros finally said. "I think we're all afraid he'll bite our heads off. Possibly literally."

"Jack would never do something like that!" Sally exclaimed, surging to her feet. "He's been nothing but polite to you! What makes you think that will change if you ask about something as important to him as his Holiday?!"

"Calm down dear. We need to discuss Jack. We can help you find him," Sandy said.

"Is Jack missing or something?" Patrick asked.

"Yes. Sally says he's been missing for nearly five months. I should have known something was wrong when he didn't come to help with Christmas."

"He didn't come for Thanksgiving either," Squanto said thoughtfully.

"Or Valentines Day," Eros put in.

"Aye, no Jack for St. Patrick's day, either," Patrick said worriedly. "Where could he be?"

"I don't know," Sally said. "Sometimes he disappears for a week or two, but he always comes back. Dr. Finkelstein has been awfully quiet on the matter. It's like he knows something, but he hasn't told anybody, not even me."

"Well, Halloween is approaching in seven months! He must get back!" Sam gasped. "What will Halloween do without him?"

"We're managing," Sally said. "But it's not the same. Everybody's scrambling to get things done. We're already behind the Mayor's schedule. It's terrible. Nobody really knew he did so much in one year."

"All of us are busy," Squanto said with a nod. "But it's a lot easier when we…"

"We what?" Sally asked, her voice as icy as the pond out in front of Sandy's workshop.

"Help each other out," Bunny said reluctantly.

"Oh, you mean like you never do with Jack?"

They stayed silent, ashamed of themselves. Sally finally harrumphed and stomped her foot.

"You deserve everything you're feeling. It's wrong how you treat Jack."

"You don't think…" Patrick began then trailed off, frowning.

"What?" Sandy asked.

"Call it luck, but I think the reason he's missin' is 'cause o' us."

There was silence. "We have to help find him," Sandy said quietly. "Let's think. Where would he go?"


	3. Vial

Sally's being nosy. So much fun to write! Enjoy.

* * *

Sally crept up the stairs nervously. Nobody was looking, so she felt safe. She shyly tried the door and found it open. She slipped inside and began to look around. When she got upstairs, she paused. There, lying on the bed, was a glass vial. It was diamond shaped, with spider like legs on the bottom to hold it upright. She picked it up and studied it. Had Jack taken a potion? He must have. She turned to the closet and saw a row of potions. She saw two vials that looked exactly the same as the one in her hand. They had black-and-red-swirled potion in it.

She picked one up, uncorked it, and sniffed. It was a terribly strong smell, like soured clothes. It smelled quite good. She smelled the empty vial and could detect the same odor, though it was faint. So Jack had taken this potion. Why? What did it do? Well, the potion was two different colors, indicating that it was a very difficult one to make, so that meant that Dr. Finkelstein had made it. It was time the doctor gave up his secrets. She placed the vials in her pockets and hurried home, walking in on the doctor experimenting on Igor.

"Doctor? What's this?" she asked, pulling out the empty vial.

He glanced over. "It's a potion vial, my dear. You've seen many lying around my lab."

"But never this particular shape. You put everything in different vials. What potion does this belong to?"

"Sally, I'm very busy."

"It'll only take a few seconds."

Dr. Finkelstein grumbled and held out his hand. She gave him the vial. He took one good look at it and swore.

"Where in the _hell_ did you get this?!"

"I…I found it," Sally said, a little scared; it was never good when he cursed.

"Where?"

"Lying around."

The doctor slammed his fist onto the arm of his chair. "You went into Jack's house!"

"I-I'm worried about him!" Sally exclaimed. "He's been missing for eight months!"

"Jack will come back when he wants to! You are not his wife yet, or even his fiancée! Keep your nose in your own business! Now leave. I'm busy. And stay out of his house!"

Sally slunk away and ran to the Holiday Doors. She leaped through the Christmas one. After calling a meeting of the leaders, she stood there with her head up. They stared at her, never having seen a burst of confidence like this.

"Sally? What's your news?"

"Jack took a potion," she said then reached into her pocket and pulled out the full vial. "This potion."

"What does it do?" Eros asked.

"I don't know. Dr. Finkelstein wasn't pleased that I found the empty one of these. He definitely wasn't going to tell me what the potion does."

"So what are we going to do now?"

"I'm going to take the potion and we'll see what it does."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes. But I can always be sewn back together if something happens to me."

They talked it over and agreed that nothing else could be done. Jack had to be found. Sally uncorked the potion again and drank it down. Nothing happened for about five seconds then she was driven to her hands and knees as the strangest sensation hit her. The whole process took less than a minute, and she had let out a single cry by the end of it. She was helped up and when she had her feet under her, she looked up to see all the leaders staring at her.

"W-what?" she asked shakily.

Sandy held out his hand and she took it. She froze when she saw her skin, because it wasn't cloth anymore. It was actually skin. She screamed and stumbled back, nearly tripping and falling into the fireplace. It was luck that let Patrick snatch her away from the blaze.

"Wh-what happened?!" she asked in a panicked voice.

"You're human, as far as I can tell," Bunny said with a nod. "You even smell human now. You're a bit too pale for comfort though."

"So Jack turned himself human?" Sally asked as she calmed down a little.

"It would seem so."

"But that means he could be anywhere."

"What's the nearest human town to Halloween Town?"

"There's one through a big mausoleum. It takes about an hour to get there."

"Well then by all means, let's go!" Sam said. "My Holiday is coming up and I have to get back soon!"

They hurried to Halloween Town and into the graveyard. The Holiday leaders didn't have the time to be scared as they entered the mausoleum. They had to find their missing comrade.


	4. Jack

Here is a nice long chapter for you! Keep on reviewing! :)

* * *

Sally shivered in the chilled air. The leaders should have been back by now. She saw a warm light in the distance and hurried toward it. It was a house. She didn't know there was a house so deep in the woods. She got to the door and knocked, hoping for a kind wife to let her in. A young man opened the door. She was shivering. He looked alarmed and a voice so familiar it hurt washed over her.

"Oh, you poor thing! Come inside! Quickly now, by the fireplace."

Jack looked different. He was still tall, which was nice. He had pale skin, eyes of slime green, and hair of black that was cut nicely. He was stirring something over the fire that was so nice and warm. He spooned something into a bowl and handed it to her.

"Here you go…" he trailed off as he stared in her eyes. "Sally?"

"Jack, where have you been?"

Jack's cheeks warmed, turning red. "Here. The human town's only an hour's walk from here. I come here when I need to get away from Halloween Town." He paused and looked her up and down. "You've been in my house. More specifically in my room."

It was Sally's turn to blush. "What makes you say that?"

"Dr. Finkelstein would never give you that potion. He's too protective of you. I thought I'd forgotten to do something. I didn't close the potion cabinet."

"Or your closet," Sally said with a nod.

They looked at each other and laughed. Sally pressed close. He was so warm… Jack laughed.

"You're too cold. Eat this stew. It will make you feel better."

"It's weird that I have to eat now," Sally muttered as she was seated at a table and handed a spoon.

"Technically you and I don't have to. The humans do, but we're not human. It just gets really uncomfortable if we don't eat." Jack took a sip of coffee. "What do you say, Sally? How do you like being human?"

"I don't know. Food actually fills me up, so I have a full belly. That's nice. My senses are different, too. Everything feels different. Not better really, but different," she said between mouthfuls of the stew. "What's in this?"

"Water, carrots, potatoes, peas, salt, pepper, and venison. Simple recipe, but one I remember from my childhood. Put over fire and heat to boiling, then simmer for an hour. Spoon out, let cool, then eat."

"Your…childhood? Jack were you," she paused and whispered the last word, "human?"

Jack's eyes grew dark and his face tightened. "Sally…"

"You weren't always a bone man?"

"No, Sally. I wasn't. I was a plain human once upon a time. Most of the Holiday leaders were, except Bunny. We're all very old though. I believe that Sam is the youngest at a hundred or two."

"I don't understand. Why did you never tell me?"

"It's not something I like to remember. My life wasn't good at all before Oogie and Halloween Town. Then Oogie decided he wanted to be the leader of Halloween Town and…it all went downhill."

"You really were friends with Oogie once upon a time, weren't you?"

"Yes. Good friends. You could say he helped me become what I am."

Sally nodded and held out her bowl. "More?"

Jack obliged and filled a bowl for himself. For several minutes, the only sounds in the room were eating. They finished and Jack went and cleaned the bowls. He got out two glasses and a wine bottle.

"Wine, madam?" he asked with a grin.

"Wine? The doctor never lets me have wine," she said, smiling back. "But what he won't know won't hurt him."

"One glass apiece," Jack warned as he poured the red liquid evenly into both glasses. He then corked the bottle and put it away. "A toast, my dear!" he said with a tender smile. "To good company."

"To good company," she said and took a sip. She sputtered. "Oh my!"

Jack laughed. "Careful, Sally. It's a bit strange at first."

"I noticed."

They drank slowly. When the wine was gone, Jack cleaned the glasses and put them away. He sat back down.

"Something's bothering you."

"I went to the other Holiday leaders, Jack. They're looking for you."

Jack's face stilled and he looked away. "Why would they do that? That would make it sound like they cared for me."

"They do, Jack. They just don't know how to express it. They're scared of you."

"So?"

"Scary doesn't mean the same to them as it does to us."

"I know that…somewhere in my skull. But that doesn't change how I feel."

"They're probably looking for me. They're sure to check here."

As if she'd been heard, there was a knock on the door. Jack frowned and got up, opening the door. Sandy stood there He looked up into the human's face. The other Holiday leaders blinked up at him. The height gave him away.

"Jack?"

Jack looked angry and slammed the door in their faces. He nodded sharply and spun around, going to sit down in his chair again. Sally placed her hand on his.

"That wasn't very nice Jack."

"I don't feel like being very nice."

Sandy came down the chimney, easily skirting the pot of stew and fire.

"Jack, please."

Jack crossed his arms and turned away. Sandy sighed and opened the door, letting the others in.

"So ya did leave 'cause 'o us," Patrick said after taking in the rest of the room.

No answer.

"C'mon Jack," Bunny said, frowning. "Talk to us."

Jack slowly turned his head to glare at them; the faint outline of flames surrounded his eyes. "Oh, like you talk to me?"

They flinched, drawing back in fear. "Come now Jack. You don't understand."

"Understand? I understand that you don't like me. I understand that you want nothing to do with me. I understand that you don't give a damn about my Holiday. I mean, it's not very hard to understand. It's quite obvious, actually."

"Jack, none of that's true!" Sandy gasped. "We just…don't understand you and your Holiday. It scares us."

"And what's wrong with fear?" Jack demanded. "As long as no harm actually comes, it's quite a pleasant sensation."

"He's right. It _is_ fun," Sally put in.

"How is it fun?" Bunny snorted.

Jack raised his eyebrows. "A signal travels through the brain to the amygdala. The neurons fire a chemical out into two spots in the brain. The chemical is called glutamate. The first place it goes makes us freeze or jump involuntarily. You cannot control it because the signal goes very deep into the brain to a place where little voluntary thought occurs."

He paused. "The second signal goes to the hypothalamus and triggers the part of the nervous system that's automatic and causes the 'fight or flight' instinct. The signal elevates blood pressure and heart rate. The thing that's so fun about it is the adrenaline that rushes through the body. It's that rush you feel when you get scared."

There was dead silence.

"You've really got this scaring thing down to a science, don't you?" Sam asked.

"I've always tended to obsess over things. I was curious. And curiosity killed the cat you know," Jack said with a smile.

"See, that," Sandy said loudly. "That right there is what bothers us. Or me at least."

Jack frowned. "My curiosity?"

"No. The way you flippantly refer to death or other dark things."

"Yes, and the citizens of your town have quite off putting characteristics about them," Squanto said.

"Off putting? They're all extremely charming. Except for Oogie, Lock, Shock, and Barrel." Jack was given wide eyed looks so he asked, "Like what?"

"That fellow with the ax in his head," Sandy said immediately.

"Behemoth? Oh, he's a little slow, but he's gentle as a black cat."

"You don't understand," came the dry reply.

"Then please, enlighten me."

"Ya really don't know what's so off-puttin' 'bout him?" Patrick asked, scrutinizing the human Jack.

"No."

"He's got an ax. In his head."

Jack blinked at them. "So?"

"Jack," Sandy said patiently. "Do you see humans walking around with axes in their heads?"

Jack looked utterly shocked. "No! That isn't very smart! It would kill them!"

"And this doesn't bother you about Behemoth?"

Jack laughed. "Of course not! He's already dead!"

Sandy pressed a hand to his forehead. "How does that make it alright?" he asked in exasperation.

Jack blinked. "I don't understand."

"Let's get off of the subject of Behemoth. What about those vampires? Do they really suck blood?" Eros asked, looking disgusted.

"Of course," Jack replied. "They're vampires."

"How does that not disturb you?"

"If you think that's bad, you should have seen the Banshee."

"Banshee?" Sally asked. "I don't remember a Banshee."

"She was here…" Jack did some quick calculations. "Six hundred years ago? I think so, yes. Give or take a decade or two."

"What happened to her?" Squanto asked curiously.

"She left. The people tend to do that. The doctor, Oogie, and I are the only ones that have been there since the beginning."

"Where'd she go?"

"Nobody knows where the citizens go when they leave," Jack said with a shrug. "Some of us can't follow them, like me and the doctor and Oogie and Sally. We aren't like the others. I think the Mayor's going to stay for a lot longer, too. That's just the ways the cards fall."

"So…they die?" Sandy asked.

"Most of them are already dead. I think it's just their time to move on, wherever they need to go. I used to try and follow, but it doesn't work like that. I'll never know where they go, but that's okay. I'm busy in Halloween Town."

"Why do you say that I can't follow?" Sally asked, brushing her hair back.

"You have the same sense that the doctor has. He passed it on to you. I'm glad. That means I could marry you and not have to live with the knowledge that you'd leave me one day."

Sally's cheeks flushed at the word 'marry' and Jack looked thoughtful.

"Sally, would you marry me?" he asked suddenly.

Sally blinked. "What?"

Jack walked over to the cabinet, pulling something out and holding it in between his fingers and his thumbs. He walked over and got down on one knee.

"Marry me, Sally. I love you."

He held out a spidery necklace with a black diamond set in the center of a heart. Sally gasped and gingerly took the necklace.

"Jack, where did you find a black diamond?"

"I've been all around the world, so it wasn't that hard. The doctor cut it for me. I've already asked his permission, and he's granted it. I just haven't been up to proposing. I must apologize for that. Forgive me for my selfishness."

"Oh, Jack, it's okay! It's okay!"

"So do you accept?" Jack asked hesitantly.

"Of course I do, Jack!" Sally exclaimed, tears in her eyes.

He took the necklace and slipped in onto her neck. She touched it gently and looked up at him.

"I love you, too, Jack," she said gently.

They kissed, a slow, yet very light kiss.

"It's about time you got engaged, my boy," Eros sighed happily.

Jack turned to look at them, looking them over. "I'm still waiting for an apology."

He got six of them, all at the same time, and all very profuse. Jack stared at them for several long moments before he spoke.

"Very well, I forgive you. But you really needn't be afraid of most of the citizens of Halloween Town. Oogie and three very misbehaving children are the exceptions. If you're afraid, try going up to talk to them. Alright?"

"And you especially don't need to be afraid of Jack," Sally said firmly.

Sandy smiled. "I guess you're right my dear. Even when he is a skeleton."

"I'm not a skeleton," Jack said immediately.

They blinked at him. "Then what are ya?" Patrick asked.

"I'm a bone man."

"There's a difference?" Bunny asked.

"Of course," Jack said matter-of-factly.

"What's the difference?"

Jack and Sally glanced at each other.

"I presume you know, my dear?" Jack asked lightly.

"The doctor told me when he explained the bats and the spiders to me. He said that you hate being called a skeleton."

"I am not a skeleton. I am a bone man," Jack said after a brief smile at Sally. "There is indeed a difference, though I don't think it would be polite to explain it in front of Sally."

Their jaws dropped and Jack stifled a laugh. It seemed they already knew the difference. Sally yawned and Jack immediately checked the time.

"It is time for bed," Jack said firmly. "Sally, there's a guest room over there. I'll bring an extra quilt in there for you. Sandy, you can take my room. The rest of us will have to sleep on the floor. I have some padding that should make it more bearable."

They set it up and Jack bid Sally good night. He curled up on the floor and quickly fell asleep, wrapped in a warm blanket. For a while he knew nothing but pleasant darkness, but it didn't last.

 _"Firebug!" the girl called._

 _Jack looked up. Fire was dancing in front of him, and he was burning leaves and sticks, holding his hand as close to the fire as he could without getting burned. He was a thin boy, rather tall for his age. His eyes were slime green, his skin was paler than most humans, and his hair was black and unkempt. He tossed the rest of his stick in._

 _"The elders have told you about your penchant for fire. I shall tell them that you are playing with it again," the boy beside the girl said._

 _"Snitch," Jack said._

 _"Calling names, Firebug?" another boy taunted, a cruel look in his eyes. "You really should not. A monster like you does not belong with normal people."_

 _Jack said nothing, well accustomed to the words. They wouldn't stop with just words this time, though, and the bone man knew it. The child had had no idea. The first hit took him by surprise and he stumbled back, blood on his cheek. They didn't stop there, though. The fists descended again and again, splitting skin and cracking bone. The child Jack writhed screaming for it to…_

"S-stop!"

 _…but it didn't. They continued. Jack screamed as a knife was plunged into his skin…_

"Jack! Wake up!"

 _"Stupid Firebug!"_

Icy water started the poor Pumpkin King awake. He gasped, surging to his feet and looking around wildly. He saw the Holiday leaders looking rather tired, and Sandy was holding a bucket.

"What was that all about?" Sandy asked.

There was the sound of a door opening and Sally peaked out.

"Nightmares Jack?" she asked with a yawn.

"Yes," he said tightly.

"Wonderful."

"Not really. They weren't the pleasant kind," Jack said, wrapping his arms around himself.

Sally came out. "Jack?"

"See, this is why I don't talk about my past," Jack said, spinning around. "I don't like to remember it, Sally."

"Past?" Patrick asked.

"Let's just get back to bed."

"Jack, what happened?" Sandy asked.

"No. I won't talk about it."

"Jack, please."

Fire suddenly exploded out of the fireplace, which had started to dim. Everybody screamed and dove away, except for Jack. Ghostly flames seemed to surround him and he looked taller.

"I. Said. No," Jack said through gritted teeth. "Now I'm going to bed. Good night."

The fire calmed down and Jack slipped back into his bed. Sally shut the door to her room again, and the others slipped into their own places. An hour later, Jack was still awake. He checked to see if the others were asleep then slipped outside. He let the tears fall. He was shaken. He hadn't seen a dream like that in so long…. He had hoped they would never plague him again. He crumpled, sobbing quietly. A hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Sure you don't want to talk about it?" Sandy asked, sitting down beside him.

Jack shook his head. "I don't want to."

"At all?"

Jack paused, wiping tears away; more fell, rendering the action useless. "Why are people so cruel to those who are different?"

Sandy sighed. "I remember when I was a normal human. I was teased constantly for my good attitude, and I had some really dark moments when I was alone. But when I found my true calling, everything changed. Everybody loved me suddenly. It took quite awhile before I was sure that they were serious."

"Were you beaten and knifed and burned?"

Sandy paused. "What did they do to you, Jack?"

"Everything they could to make my life miserable."

"Well, we care for you, even if we don't show it properly. Now come on. You might not be human, but you do need sleep."

"Sandy?"

"Yes Jack?"

"Thank you."


	5. Bugs and Bones

Eleven reviews. Again, y'all deserve this.

Just to clarify, I found a fic that dealt with Jack's death before, but I cannot find it no matter how hard I try. I think my version is different enough that I don't feel guilty about having it in here, but if you find something too similar and I'll talk to the author. :)

* * *

The odd group of Holiday leaders plus Sally walked through the mausoleum. Jack and Sally were laughing as the ghosts popped out. The others were getting rush after rush of fear, and they were starting to see why it was fun. A little at least. Jack shoved open the door to the huge grave and stepped out. He inhaled deeply.

"Boy, have I missed the decaying scent of autumn! I was glad when September came."

"October's just around the corner," Bunny said.

"Yes. Guess I'll have to get the town on schedule," Jack said with a shrug. "We should still be able to pull Halloween off."

"Good. And we'll help all we can," Sandy said with a sharp nod.

"Excellent!"

"Jack…" Sally said softly, tugging on his arm. He looked at her and she pointed.

"Hello, Jack. My, my, my, aren't you looking _human_ ," Oogie said jovially.

"Oogie, not now," Jack said warningly.

"Why not? It's the only time I get to taste your blood. Bone men have no blood, you know."

Jack pushed Sally behind him protectively.

"Don't you dare Oogie."

"The girl needs to be a rag doll again, Jack, and you need to be a bone man," Oogie said in a low voice.

"The doctor has a potion for us to take," Jack said, frightened that his nightmares were coming true.

"Now where's the fun in that?"

Jack grabbed Sally's hand and screamed his command. "Run!"

Oogie's laughter rang in their ears as they left the shocked Holiday leaders behind them. Sally was panting as they approached the cemetery gate that led to the path that went to town. Jack stopped, shoving Sally toward the gate.

"Get to the doctor as fast as you can. Oogie'll be after me. Tell him what's going on. Talk over him if you have to! Go, quickly!"

"What does Oogie want?" Sally asked.

"No time! Go! Now!"

Sally sprinted away and Jack ran deep into the cemetery. He knew that Oogie would be able to find him. The bugs smelled his blood, and they were telling Oogie exactly where he was. He played hide and seek for twenty minutes before he heard something that chilled his blood.

"Jack! Jack I found him."

Jack came out to see Sally standing beside the doctor, who was on his feet.

"Hurry now, my boy, take this!"

Jack stormed up and shoved the potion toward Sally. "You were supposed to make her a rag doll again!"

"Who's this?" Bunny asked.

"It's the mad scientist," Sandy said. "Doctor…I don't know his name."

"Looks like we've got an audience Jack," Oogie said as he approached.

"Sally, take the potion, now!" Jack hissed.

A well placed rock shattered the vial and Jack stood in front of Sally.

"What's he going to do to us?" Sally asked.

"Why I'm going to eat the flesh off your…well, Jack's bones. I'm going to eat you down to your cloth."

"E-eat?" Sally asked.

"Ladies first."

Oogie's seems split and there was a rush of bugs that moved toward her. Dr. Finkelstein grabbed Sally and hurried backwards, pulling out another vial and popping the top.

"Drink! Now!"

Sally choked down the bitter brew and gasped, falling down. Within ten seconds she felt bugs crawling on her and prickles of pain began to hit her. There was a shriek, one of pure agony. She looked up and saw Jack. He had not one bug on him, yet he shrieked again. And again. The bugs seemed to be drawn to it and hurried off of her. She was helped to her feet by the doctor. The Holiday leaders seemed to be frozen, staring at where Jack had been. It was a mountain of bugs. The doctor watched passively, but Sally tried to run over and help. Dr. Finkelstein held her back. When he was sure she wouldn't run, he unbuttoned his lab coat.

The bugs started to clear and the pale man hurried over to wrap the garment around Jack's waist. He looked like his old self. Almost. His bones, which were usually a beautiful white, were stained red with blood. He looked like he was in great deals of pain.

The Holiday leaders stared at Jack. They couldn't help it. He was definitely skeletal. Their eyes roamed over the bones, especially his ribcage. Beneath it was just open space, and the spaces between the ribs were open. But they had all clearly seen that he wasn't just a skeleton. Sally, who watched in horror, didn't understand. What had happened? Sandy voiced that question.

"They ate me," Jack said tiredly. "It's how I became a bone man. I didn't want any of you to know that. I'm sorry."

"Who knows about it?" Sally asked, trying not to be sickened.

"Until tonight, only Oogie, the doctor, and me. Now all of you know."

"You were eaten alive?" Sandy asked. "T-that's…"

"Disgusting? Disturbing? Painful? Yes, yes it is." Jack paused. "I need a shower."

"And I need my wheelchair. The potion's starting to wear off," Dr. Finkelstein said with a nod. "Come along, all of you. I'll entertain you while Jack gets cleaned up."

An hour and a half later, Jack arrived at the doctor's house. He'd been spotted by several people and had to do a greeting and a brief conversation with each. Jack let himself in and walked up to the lab. He quietly sat down on the floor behind the group who was animatedly asking questions about the doctor's work. Sally noticed him and sat beside him, her old self again.

"You know, for a human you were quite beautiful," Jack said softly. "But I think I prefer you this way."

Sally smiled and leaned against him, kissing his cheek softly. He smiled and curled his arm around her.

"Are you alright?" she asked when he flinched.

"They always forget a few tendons and ligaments in my hands and feet," he muttered.

"Oh. How do you get rid of them?"

"The doctor takes them off. I don't see why they always miss them," Jack groused. "It has to be as tasty as the rest of me. And it's always the same ones."

"What's always the same ones?" Sam asked.

"You don't want to know," Jack said.

"Come now, we're tryin' ta learn ta like your Holiday," Patrick said.

Jack made a face. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He held out his hand and they stared at the stretches of pink along the gaps in the bones. They paled.

"Is that muscle?"

"They're ligaments and tendons," Dr. Finkelstein said with a nod. "Come here, my boy, let me take them off." He shook his head. "I don't understand why they always leave those in."

"It's practically the same ones every time," Jack muttered as the doctor strapped him onto the medical table.

"This should only take a few minutes."

The Holiday leaders couldn't help but watch. It didn't seem to hurt Jack, but they knew it should have. Within ten minutes, it was done and Jack stood.

"Many thanks, doctor."

"Not at all, my boy." He paused. "Tell me, when were you going to tell me that you proposed?"

Jack blinked. "What?" He turned to look at Sally and saw her wearing the necklace. "Oh. Well, I was busy being eaten alive again."

"I suppose that's a good reason."

There was a pounding on the front door.

"Twenty bats in a belfry says that's the mayor," Jack said as Dr. Finkelstein hollered that the door was open. Three minutes later, Jack was proven right.

"Jack! There you are! Where have you been?"

Jack shrugged, keeping his mouth shut.

"Well we're in trouble! We'll never be ready for Halloween in time!"

"These kind gentlemen are going to help us, so no worries there," Jack said. "Now call a town meeting. We have work to do."


	6. Head Troubles

Okay, there was a slight accident. I didn't mean to update two chapters into one. Since you've already read it, I'll post it immediately as another chapter. I'd say sorry, but honestly, it was to your advantage. Enjoy!

* * *

Jack was getting frustrated. He couldn't fit the jagged piece of bone into the hole in his skull. Sally was in with Mrs. Claws preparing food. Sandy was off in his workshop; Thanksgiving might be the next Holiday, but the red clad man had many toys to make. The other Holiday leaders weren't there yet; they were supposed to be bringing their wives. Jack grunted and nearly crushed the bone fragment in his hand. Why did this have to happen now?!

Sally came in and blinked at him. "Jack?"

"Quickly Sally, help me get this back in."

Jack handed her the piece and she began to try to fit it in. "I can't tell which part goes where," she said after five minutes.

"Damn!" Jack growled.

He reached up and popped his head off so he could reach the hole better. Of course that's the moment Mrs. Claws came in with a couple of female elves. Everybody froze. They silently set the cookies and hot chocolate down and left. Jack groaned.

"Great. Just great. Give me that bone."

Without having to reach behind his head, he quickly maneuvered the piece back in and place. He placed his head back on. He sat down and stayed silent as the others arrived. The women all went to the kitchen, while the men stayed and talked to Sandy. Pocahontas, Squanto's wife, came leading the other females in.

"Do it," she said, standing in front of Jack.

The men blinked. "Do what?" Sandy asked.

"Sally said he can take off his head. Mrs. Claus agreed. I want to see it."

"Pocahontas!" Squanto gasped. "That's rude."

"I want to see it, too," Psyche said.

"My blessing above all, whatever for?" Eros asked his wife.

"You all have told us how scary he is. He seems nice enough, if not odd," she replied.

Stormy, Bunny's mate, nodded. "Please?" she asked politely.

Jack listened to the conversation with confusion. "It doesn't disturb you?" he asked Mrs. Claws.

"No, dear," she said.

"Stuff like that disturbs them," Jack said, gesturing at their husbands.

"They're scaredy-cats," Aileen, Patrick's wife, said. "They refuse ta let us go ta Halloween Town 'cause they think we'll have nightmares or somethin'."

Jack sighed. "Behemoth?"

"That's one reason," Patrick admitted.

"We're getting off topic," Sam's wife, Betty, said. "We want to see your head come off."

Jack glanced at Sandy, who shrugged. Jack shrugged himself before reaching up and popping his head off for the second time that night. The girls stared then began laughing.

"That's just so fascinating!" Pocahontas said.

"Can you talk with your head off?" Stormy asked.

"Of course," Jack said, turning his head so he could see them. "I can fall to pieces and still move. I have to if I want to put myself back together again. That's a skill I learned long ago after an accident. I used to be able to put myself back together in ten minutes."

"So you can take any part of your body off and it doesn't hurt?" Psyche asked.

"Um, yes, I suppose I can."

There was another burst of laughter then Mrs. Claws spoke.

"Why did you take your head off in the first place?"

"I slipped on the pond out front and cracked a piece off my skull," Jack replied as he placed his head back on his neck. I couldn't get it back on while my head was on, and Sally couldn't match it up, so I removed my head to reach it better."

"How did you get it on? I mean, you can't see it," Psyche said.

"Touch."

They took that answer for what it was worth and spent a pleasant evening together. Jack thanked them profusely before they went back to Halloween Town. He walked Sally home and kissed her goodnight before heading home himself. He slipped into his nightgown and lay down. He couldn't be happier. He was accepted by the other Holiday leaders and their wives. His Holiday had successfully been pulled of. And to top it all off, he was engaged to the most beautiful girl in the world. He smiled and drifted off into a restful sleep.


	7. I Love You

Here's a little moment between Jack and Sally. Hooray! They're finally married!

* * *

Jack stared at Sally, stroking her cheek lightly. Yesterday had been their wedding day. Sally had been walked down the aisle by the doctor, who had taken that special potion that allowed him to walk for an hour. The ceremony had been dark, but beautifully so. All of the Holiday leaders and their wives had joined them. The party had stretched well into the morning hours, but Jack and Sally had slipped away at midnight for the consummation. They were both nervous, and it hadn't been perfect, but as Jack stared at his new bride, he didn't care. Their wedding night hadn't needed to be perfect. _She_ was perfect.

Sally shifted and opened her eyes. She looked shy as she realized Jack was staring. Jack smiled and kissed her gently.

"I love you, Sally," he said softly.

"I love you, too, Jack," she replied, pressing close to him. She traced his ribs, making him laugh.

"That tickles!" he exclaimed in response to her concerned look.

"Sorry," she said, drawing her hand back.

"Don't be," Jack said with a smile, catching her hand and placing it against his ribs again. "I liked it."

Sally looked shy again as she resumed tracing his ribs. Jack wrapped his arms around her, breathing in her decaying leaf scent. It was lovely. He began kissing her neck, nipping lightly. She gasped, grabbing his hips. She still wasn't sure how she felt about that sort of touch.

"You okay?" Jack asked between kisses.

"I think so," Sally said quietly.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No," Sally said after a few more kisses.

So Jack didn't.


	8. Firebug

I gots a little splainin' ta do. The parts with the different powers came about because of the video game "The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge." In that game, Jack gets to wear his Pumpkin King outfit and his Sandy Claws outfit, which both give him special abilities. While wearing the Pumpkin King outfit, Jack gets to control fire, and when he wears the Sandy Claws outfit, he throws out presents, but can also control snow, as shown in the final fight with Oogie. Now, the other powers weren't in there, but I decided to expand upon it, just for fun. I hope y'all enjoy.

On a second, sadder note...This is the final chapter for this story. Never fear! There is a sequel, and it involves Oogie! As per usual, I'll wait a few days before posting it up. I'll post a note on this story telling you the name of it. Still haven't thought of one...Anyway, please enjoy, and review if you'd like, because I know I like it!

* * *

Jack grimaced. The fight with Oogie had left his upper arm cracked. He might be able to fall to pieces and still be fine, but crack a bone and it really hurt. The other leaders were whispering amongst themselves as Dr. Finkelstein made a cast for Jack's arm. He encased the humerus and the shoulder bone, wrapping a cloth around Jack's neck for him to cradle his hand in.

"Many thanks, doctor."

"You still have the three healing potions?"

"Of course," Jack said with a nod.

"Then you are to take one a day. If you don't get much better, come and get me and I'll reset the bone again. If you're getting better, but are out of the potion, come over and I'll make you some more. Now here's one for you to take now."

Dr. Finkelstein handed the Pumpkin King a glowing blue potion after popping the cork out. Jack downed it quickly. He didn't cough, though the potion burned fiercely on the way down to…wherever it went.

"Sally, get Jack home safe. He needs rest. The rest of you, I can't tell you to leave him alone, but don't stress him out. Stress makes his bones crack easier."

"Hey, only if they're already cracked," Jack argued as he stood.

They were soon settled in Jack's room. Jack thought about getting into his nightgown for a good nap, but looked at his arm distastefully.

"I hate cracked bones," he said. "It's so difficult to change clothes."

"I'm sorry, Jack," Patrick said.

Jack shrugged. "Can't be helped. Looks as if I'm going in just my shirt for awhile."

"Jack," Sandy said softly. "May I ask you something?"

"Certainly."

"How did you do that?"

"Oh, Oogie hit me really hard—"

"No, no, not the cracked bone."

Jack blinked. "Then what?"

"How did you…"

Jack frowned. What were they hinting at? Patrick finally jumped in.

"Ya used clovers fer luck," he said. "And ya were dressed in green and black."

"You used hate arrows and were dressed in pink and red and black," Eros said.

"You brought exploding eggs out of nowhere," Bunny said. "And were dressed in pale colors. And black."

"Need we go on?" Sandy asked.

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

"How did you, the Pumpkin King, use our powers?" Squanto asked.

"Oh. I'm a Holiday leader. The powers are interchangeable."

"They are?"

"Well, I can use all of yours. I assume it goes all the way around."

"How did ya find this out, Jack?" Patrick asked.

"I experimented a bit," Jack replied. "The more I knew about your Holidays, the more I helped you, the easier it became to use them."

"What's your power?" Eros asked.

Jack held out his good hand and a flame appeared over it. "Fire."

They looked nervous. "Why does yours have to be so dangerous?"

"What about exploding eggs isn't dangerous?" Jack asked dryly, sitting down on his bed and taking his shoes off. "I mean, the concussive force alone can damage nerves, or even shock the heart and nervous system into stopping, and then there's the shell shrapnel."

"Well, that's one other thing," Bunny said.

"How about hate arrows? Hate is a very potent emotion. It leads to murder."

"Okay, that's another," Eros muttered.

"And Sandy, you could call forth a blizzard if you wanted to. Snow is very cold, and then there are the icicles," Jack said. "Did you know that an icicle is the perfect murder weapon? It melts away so there are no fingerprints and no weapon to test."

"Okay, that's three others…" Sandy said slowly.

"And them Sam basically uses dynamite as his—" Jack attempted to continue.

"Alright!" Squanto snapped. "They're all dangerous. We get that!"

"Mine's not," Patrick said smugly.

"Depends on what you're trying to be lucky about," Jack replied pointedly.

They stood there and stared at Jack as he stared at them. Jack brought his hand back up and a flame hovered above it. He changed its color and shape several times before settling it back on an orange-yellow glow.

"Hold out your hand."

None of them moved for a moment then Sandy hesitantly held out his hand. Jack reached over and dumped the flame into the Christmas leader's palm. Sandy flinched, but the fire did not touch him.

"There you are, Sandy!" Jack said with a laugh. "Now watch this." He paused and grew serious. "Did you know that Halloween originated as a celebration called Samhain in Celtic lands?"

The fire suddenly leaped up and turned red and green. They yelped, and Sandy leaned closer to it.

"How did that even work?"

"Humans have a saying. Knowledge is power. I know that's true for me. I knew as much about fire as I could learn about it when I was human. And the more I learned about it after I died and turned into the Pumpkin King, the more powerful I became."

"Jack?" Sally asked, looking shy; up until this point she has been sitting quietly on the bed.

Jack stiffened. "Sally?"

"Please Jack. The others have told us about their pasts. Can't you tell us a little? Or not even them, just me?"

The fire suddenly exploded upward and Sandy jerked his hand back, crying out in surprise. The heat became unbearable for five seconds then everything disappeared and Jack looked tired.

"You want to know, fine. What is it you want to know?"

There was a pause and they slowly approached again. Sally spoke first though.

"What was your name?"

"Jack None. My mother stumbled into the village with no husband, and she was pregnant. She had me then died within three days of arriving, and she was delirious for those three days. She became sane enough to name me Jack and died with me in her arms. It was the culture of my village that I not have a last name until I came into my craft, which I never did."

"How did you get your last name?" Sandy asked.

"The doctor, Sandy. He didn't know what to call me, and we hadn't decided on bone man yet, so he started calling me a 'skellington.' When other people started to come to what would become Halloween Town, he introduced me as Jack Skellington, and it stuck."

"Jack, just to clear something up," Sandy said suddenly, holding up a hand.

"Yes, Sandy?"

"My name isn't Sandy. It's Santa."

"I know. I like Sandy better. It's what I first knew you as."

"What?" Eros asked.

"Sandy Claws," Jack said, curling the fingers on his unhindered hand in like it had claws.

"Oh…that explains _that_ comment."

"What comment?" Squanto asked.

"'Why you have hands!'" Sandy said, mimicking Jack. "'You don't have claws at all."

"What can I say?" Jack said after the laughter had died down. "I saw his shadow and it looked like he had claws. When I heard his name, I mistook it for 'Sandy Claws.' I think it's an honest mistake, all things considering."

"Indeed," Sandy said. "You can call me Sandy, but only if you keep talking about your past."

Jack grimaced. "What do you want to know?"

"You said that you were different once. What did you mean?"

Jack went quiet, looking down. His voice came out very weak when he finally spoke.

"I never was normal. I was too pale, and the sun didn't burn or darken my skin. I didn't freckle either. Everybody thought my human eyes were creepy." Jack paused to swallow. "What they really didn't like was my obsession with fire. As a child, I never burned anything down…you know, on purpose…but I always wanted to be around fire. If it wasn't fire, it was pain. I would cut myself and experiment with pain. I must admit, I would hurt people to see their reactions."

"Jack…" Sally said softly, but Jack continued.

"And if it wasn't pain, it was outright death and blood and gore. I could skin and gut any animal faster than anybody else in the village. Sometimes I would go out and kill a deer or rabbit with my bow out where nobody could see me just to slowly dissect it. Sometimes they wouldn't be dead and I'd watch their insides work until they bled out.

"The first time I was caught, I managed to explain it. I can't really remember what came out of my mouth. The second time was a fiasco. They beat me for it. The third time they switched me. The fourth time…it just got worse from there. But I grew older and soon was considered too old to be switched or beaten."

Jack sighed shakily. "But the obsessions grew worse. They began calling me Firebug because I would purposefully set things on fire. I began building bonfires. My arms and legs were scarred over and constantly sported cuts. I tortured an animal at least once a week just to get the thrill that came with it. I never killed a human. Ever. But I thought about it. A lot. And I might have tortured animals, but the humans tortured me. They mocked me and beat me, and hurt me with knives, asking me if I'd had enough pain yet. The adults didn't help at all."

There was another pause, during which Sally wrapped her arm around Jack. "I should mention that my village was very superstitious. A plague hit our village, killing a few hundred. I was fascinated by the symptoms of the sickness and was constantly around those who were sick. Almost everybody else who was around them also got sick. I was not one of them. One day, there was a frenzy and the adults blindfolded me, tied my hands, and beat me viciously then led me deep into the forest to die. They accused me of bringing the sickness.

"They left me with no weapons, nothing to defend myself. I was naked and bloody with nothing to eat. I managed to get my hands free and tore the blindfold off. I had no idea where to go. I suffered through starvation and freezing cold nights and sweltering days. It was the closest thing to hell that I've ever experienced. I managed to catch one meal, and sparked a fire with all the knowledge that I had. I cleaned, cooked, and ate every bit of that animal. That was the last meal I had as a human. I didn't know what to do. I finally decided that I wanted to die, and what better way than to do it by the very obsession that had gotten me beaten."

"You mean you…" Sandy started, but trailed off.

"I built a huge bonfire in a clearing. I picked up some dry kindling and stepped through the fire and into the space I'd left in the middle. I lit the kindling then put it in my lap." Jack paused. "All my life, I'd played with fire, but not once did I ever get burned. The fire licked at me, and I expected pain, but it didn't hurt. It was nice and warm and comforting, even as I saw my skin blistering and burning. I cried, but not because I felt pain from the flames. It was from the pain of not fitting in, not having anybody to relate to, not having a single friend in my long, lonely life.

"I burned and burned and burned until the wood was spent. I swept aside the ashes and lay down. I hadn't died. By some curse, I was still alive. I cried again, laying there and wishing I would feel some physical pain to counter my emotional agony. Then came a beetle. I stared at it and it stared at me. It finally came forward and bit me. A prick of pain hit me and I wanted more, but I didn't know how to encourage him. I didn't have to. And he was soon joined by a swarm of bugs of all different shapes and sizes."

Jack took a deep breath. "You saw what the bugs did to me. They ate me down to my bones. It's the most painful thing I've ever endured, but that first time it was what I needed to stay sane. When I woke up, for I had fallen asleep after the endeavor, I felt different. I sat up and saw…well, this," he said gesturing at himself. "Only without the clothes. I was also somewhere strange. It wasn't the forest I had fallen asleep in. It was here, only without Halloween Town. I didn't know what to think. My only companions for about a year were the bugs. They wouldn't leave me alone. Clothes appeared one day and I put them on. Burlap appeared, too, and I got an idea. Almost as soon as the idea came into my head, a needle and thread appeared. And I made Oogie. The bugs went into the outline I had made with a single gesture from me.

"Suddenly I had a companion. One who didn't beat me and despise me. He was curious about everything, and I taught him how to walk and talk and function as the closest thing to normal that we had in our strange world. We talked about everything and I found that having a friend was very nice."

Jack turned to Sally. "The doctor came about a year later, but he looked very different than he does now. He could walk freely, without the need for a potion. Like all the residents of Halloween Town besides myself, he couldn't remember the specifics of his life before his death while he was awake. He knew he was a doctor, he knew science, and he was fascinated by the fact that I was a bone man and that Oogie had been made by my hands and was filled with bugs. But that's when the rift between myself and my first friend began.

"The doctor was constantly asking my advice in this new world, treating me like his leader. Oogie didn't like that. He thought we should be treated as equals. After all, I had only been in that world for a month before he'd been made. Dr. Finkelstein told Oogie plainly that I was the leader, and nothing would change that. 'There's a sense around Jack that you just don't have, Oogie,' he said. Thus began our rivalry. The rift's had two thousand years to grow, and it hurts so badly. I miss the old Oogie."

"Wait a second!" Sandy gasped. "You're over _two thousand years old?!_ "

"Yes."

They just stared at him, unable to believe that he was that old.

"I'm only a thousand," Sandy said finally. "I just didn't know that you were so old."

"I've seen many a Samhain rise and fall," Jack said softly. "Well over two thousand of them." He paused. "Well, that's my story. I know you must be disgusted and disturbed."

"The torturing of animals and arson and pain and death is disturbing, but it's all in the past…right?" Bunny asked.

"Yes. I never felt the need to torture another animal or hurt myself again. But the preoccupation with fire turned into a wonderful power."

Jack suddenly yawned and looked exhausted. Sandy blinked.

"Now, I think that's enough of that. We shall leave you to rest. Have a good evening Jack, Sally."

Sally changed into a nightgown once they had left and pressed against Jack, mindful of his arm.

"How old were you, Jack, when you became the Pumpkin King?"

"Nineteen. I was born on the same day that I died."

"What day was that?"

"Samhain." He noticed her confusion and clarified. "October 31, Sally. I was born on that day, and I died on that day. I am the very embodiment of Halloween. Or All Hallows Eve. Or Samhain. It all depends on the time period as to what you call it. I think Halloween's going to stick for a long time, though."

Sally hummed. "Jack? I love you. Your past doesn't change that."

"I appreciate it, Sally. I really do. But please don't tell anybody. Oogie doesn't tell people because it would lead to them revealing how much his life depends on me. And the doctor's the only other person besides you and the Holiday leaders that I've told. He doesn't tell people because I've asked him not to. I don't want them to see what I've done and judge me for it. I want them to take me as I am now."

"I understand, Jack. Now, let's sleep. You really need it."

Sally kissed Jack gently and flipped off the lights, so that the fireplace provided the only light in the room. She fell asleep quickly, but Jack did a little thinking. They hadn't rejected him, but he knew that they would have more questions. For the first time, Jack thought he could handle that. He felt that they would help him, not hurt him. He smiled. His Holiday was a hit. He was married to the girl of his dreams. And now he would get to teach his gift of fire to the others. Jack drifted off to sleep, looking forward to the coming days. Life was good, better than it had ever been before. And it could only get better.


	9. Sequel's Up!

I have uploaded the sequel to this story! It's called Rekindling Warmth, so go find it and enjoy!


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